Liquid dispenser



March 13, 1956 G. c. LUTZ 2,738,106

\LIQUID DISPENSER Filed Oct. 50, 1952 IN V EN TOR.

fire or Cl Z Y 5 1 5 United States Patent LIQUID DISPENSER Gregory C. Lutz, Chicago, ill.

Application October 30, 1952, Serial No. 317,797

Claims. (Cl. 222-207) This invention relates to liquid dispensers and, more particularly, to pumps for dispensing liquid beverages such as wine, for example, from large containers.

Economically, it is most expedient for proprietors of small retail establishments to buy beverages in relatively large quantity containers and to dispense individual porwith the inner walls of the rubber bulb contaminates the liquid, particularly those liquids having an alcoholic content. Further, these collapsible bulb operated pumps are subject to the disadvantage that compression of the bulb often distorts the lower configuration of the bulb so that the'seal between the bulb and the body of the pump is broken and the vacuum produced in the pump for raising the liquid is destroyed with a consequent decrease in the operating efiiciency of the pump.

Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide a new and improved pump for dispensing small amounts of liquid from a container holding a large quantity thereof.

Another object is to provide an improved type of force pump utilizing a collapsible bulb actuating element wherein means are provided for preventing contamination of the liquid by contact with the inner walls of the bulb.

Another object of this invention is to provide a force pump of the type actuated by a collapsible rubber bulb in which the bulb is so constructed as to prevent the destruction of the seal between the body of the pump and the collapsible bulb.

Another object is the provision of a new and improved type of pump which is easily assembled and which is provided with visible display means.

In accordance with these and many other objects, one embodiment of this invention comprises a force pump having a cylindrical body portion forming a reservoir. A collapsible bulb is mounted on the body portion by means of a flange formed integral with the bulb and the walls of the bulb immediately adjacent the flanged portion are weakened so that upon compression the bulb collapses immediately adjacent the flange portion and prevents the flange from being displaced from its position in engagement with an upper portion of the body. The reservoir or body portion is provided with an inlet, at the lower extremity of which is a one-way leaf valve, and with a spout or outlet member having a one-way leaf valve therein. When the rubber bulb is compressed, liquid within the reservoir is forced outwardly through the spout and the one-way valve associated therewith, and, upon release of the collapsible bulb, the expansion thereof closes the spout valve and opens the one-way valve in the inlet so that the reservoir is refilled with a predetermined amount of the liquid to be dispensed.

A pair of baffle plates having displaced apertures therein are interposed between the reservoir and the collapsible bulb so that, during expansion of the collapsible bulb, the liquid being drawn into the reservoir of the pump is prevented from coming into contact with the walls of the bulb. The body portion of the pump is joined withthe spout or outlet member by means of a pair of spaced webbing members within which may be received a sign bearing suitable indicia representative of the liquid within the container with which the pump is associated.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a;

wine pump embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the wine pump shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 33 in Fig. 2 and also shows a cross sectional view of the inlet valve assembly;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken along line 4-4 in Fig. 3, assuming that the entire pump is shown therein;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 5-5 in Fig. l; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 6--6 in Fig. 1.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, there pensed upwardly into the reservoir 35 through an inlet tube 28. The spout 26 is joined to the body portion 22 by a display means or web 30 formed of transparent material.

The body portion 22, spout 26, and the display means 30 of the wine pump 20 are formed by a pair of substantially identical body elements 32 and 34, of opposite hand, which are joined together by means of a cooperat ing bead 36 formed around the periphery of the member 34 and a groove 38 formed around the edge'of the body element 32. These two. body elements are formed of a transparent or translucent material such as any of the" commercial types of vinyl plastics and are cemented together so that the interlocking bead 36 and groove 38 form a liquid tight joint.

in order to fill the reservoir 35 with wine or other liquids to be dispensed, the lower portion of the body 22 formed by the two body elements 32 and 34 is provided with a locking ring 40 having a shouldered opening 41 therein to receive the upper end of the inlet tube 28. The

lower end of the inlet tube 28 is provided with a oneway valve assembly indicated generally as 42 which includes a supporting member 44 and a valve plate 46 having an aperture or inlet port 48 therein. A flexible strip of vinyl plastic forms a valveelement 50, and this element is secured to the valve plate 46 adjacent the inlet port 48 so that the valve element 50 covers the port 48.

In order to close the bottom opening of the reservoir 35, the locking ring 40 is provided with an annular groove 52 within which is received a depending flange 54 formed integral with the body elements 32 and 34. The locking ring 40 is cemented to the depending flange 54 so that the ring 40 not only forms a liquid-tight bond between i I Patented Mar. 13, 1956 3 the ring 40 and the body 22 but also aids in maintaining the two body elements 32 and 34 in their assembled relationship to form the reservoirs35.

To secure, the wine pump20 i053. large-container, such, for. example, as-a gallon jug (not. shown),,..the. ringib is providedfwith. an: internallythreaded portion 56. which. is adaptedto receivethcthreads formed on the necktof the container, and;a lower portion 58. ofthe ring, 40 isofiset to-receive the shouldered portionzof the neelcof this container; Thethreaded portion,56 is providedwith an aper.-- ture59 topermit aflow of air into the container when the liquid is dispensed therefrom thereby to prevent the. creation of a vacuum: in this container 1 Thev collapsible rubberv bulb. 2,4,, which is utilizled tooperatethewine pump- 20, is secured to. the. upper. end of the body portion 22 by means of a second lockingring The: locking ring 60 is. provided with. adepending flange. 62 which. engages the outer surface of .a tapered annular. flange 64 formed integral with. the body elemerits-32 and 34. The locking ring 60 is cementeditothe flange 64 to provide a fluid-tight seal. therebetween and to aid inrholding the body elements: 32 and 3:4 in their assembled relationship. The outer surface of the lock ingring60. is also provided with. an outwardly extending annular flange 66 which is received. within an. annular groove 68 formed in a lower flanged portion 700i the rubberbulb24.

When the bulb 24 is released following acornpression thereof, a sub-atmospheric pressure orsvacuum is produced in the bulb, and the atmospheric pressure on the body of. liquid, contained within thereceptacle into which the inlet tube 28 extends, forces the liquid against the flexible-valve element 50 and displaces this element upwardly to a position 74 shown in dashed outline in Fig. 3 of the drawings whereupon the valve assembly 42 is opened to permit a flow of: liquid up through the inlet tube 28 and the opening 41. This flow of liquid from the large container gradually fills the reservoir 35 as the rubber bulb 24 continues to expand.

The. initial flow of liquid into the reservoir 35 is in the form of a jet or high velocity pulse, and in order to prevent this initial flow of liquidfrom contacting the inner wallsof the rubber bulb 24 and thereby becoming conta inated, a tortuous path isinterposed between the. res ervoir 35 and the interior of the collapsible bulb 24. This tor-tuouspath is formed by providing a pair of spaced apertures 7.6. in the upper wall of the body portion 22 (Figs. 3

4). and a centrally disposed aperture. 80 in the locking' ring 60,.which apertures place the interior of the bulb 24in fluid communication with the reservoir 35.. By virtue ofthe displaced positions of the apertures 76 and 8.9, the tortuous path formed thereby prevents a sudden gush ofi'wine. or other liquid into the reservoir 35 from entering ew lapsib e lb 4- The bulb 24 is. so constructed that the volume thereof is approximately equal to the volume. of the reservoir 35;. Therefore, when the bulb 24 expands to produce a vacuum inthe reservoir 35, the amount of liquid forced upwardly into the reservoir 35 is approximately equal to the. volumetric capacity thereof. In this manner, the introduction of liquid. into the bulb 24 due to an excessive amount. of liquidin the reservoir 35 is positively prevented. Further, since the bulb 24 is incapable of drawingenoughliquidinto the reservoir 35 to overflow into the-bulb.- 24,,it. is impossible for an operator to contaminaite the liquid to be dispensed by completely collapsing the bulb-2.4.

To dispense. the liquid contained, in the reservoir 35,, a one-way valve assembly indicated generally as S2 is interposed between! the reservoir 35 and the outlet or spout 26; This valveassembly includes a valve plate 84- which isbsldin Position-by a.pair of semi-circular ribs. 86 formed in. 98. of. the body elementst32 and 34. The valveplate.

841s providediwith. a centrally disposed outlet port 88'. whi'chis normally covered by a flexible valve element 90' secured to the valve plate 84. When the bulb 24 is compressed, thereby increasing the fluid pressure on the liquid contained in the reservoir 35, ,the flexible valve element at the lower end of the tube 28 is firmly seated against the valve plate 46 to prevent the fluid from being displaced into the container, and the flexible valve element is displaced outwardly to a position indicated in dashed line at 92 whereby the fluid in the reservoir 35 flows outwardly through the outlet. or spout 26. Following the displacement of the fluid contained inthe reservoir 35, the release and subsequent expansion of" the bulb 24' refills the reservoir 35 by attracting the flexible; valve element 9.0. into engagement with the valve plate 84 to close the outlet valve assembly 82 and by displacing the flexibleelement 50 upwardly to the position indicated at 74 whereby an additional supply of liquid is drawn upwardly through the inlet tube 28.

The display means 30 for the wine pump 26 is. provided by a pair. of webbing members 98 and 100 formed integral with the body elements 34 and 32, respectively. When the body elements 32 and 34 are securedtogether, the webbingmembers. 98 and 100 are spaced from each other to form a channel 102 within which a card (not shown) bearing suitable identifying. indicia may be placed. The webbing member 98 is provided with a right angle projection. 104 (Fig. 5) which extends over the channel 102 to form. an entrance opening 106 through which the flexible card is inserted. The projecting portion 104 in coveringthe upper endof the channel 102 prevents the card from being displaced inadvertently.

In order to preventthe flanged portion 7 ii of the rubber bulb 24 from being displaced out of engagement with thelocking ringdfi, the walls of this bulb are necked down or weakened atthe portions indicated by the referencenumeral 11.0 (-Figs. 1 and 3).. Since the wallstructure of the bulb 24 is weakened along the upper edge of. the flanged portion 70, when the bulb 24 is compressed, it collapses adjacent the portions 110 and prevents the flanged portion 70 from. being pivoted outwardly from. engagement with, the locking ring 60 thereby. to prevent destruction of the fluid-tight seal between the bulb and-the ring 6.0. Accordingly, the weakened portions lltlinsure satisfactory. operation of the wine-pump 20 by the use of a collapsible bulb actuating means.

The wine pump 20 is well adapted for use in dispensing comestible beverages inasmuch as it may easily: be disassembled. for. cleaning; by removing the rubberbulb 24. from engagement with. the locking ring 60. Once this bulb is removed, the reservoir'and inlet tube of the ,reservoir 35. and inlet-tube- 23 may be cleaned by introducingsuitable cleaning fluids through. the. apertures 76 and. 801.. By placing these cleaning. fluids under pressure, the valve. element 9b will be displaced outwardly so that the cleaning fluids flow. through the outlet or spout 26 to remove any material which may have accumulated therein.

Also, since the wine pump 20 is formed of translucent" or transparent'material, it is well adapted for dispensing may be made, and it. is therefore contemplated by" the appended claims'to cover any such modifications as fall within the-true spirit and scope of the invention;

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A liquid dispenser comprising a reservoir-having a pluralitybf spaced apertures therein, means mounted on the reservoir adjacent the apertures and havinga single opening displaced therefrom; a collapsible bulbmounted ayrsanoe on said means and in fluid communication with the res ervoir through said apertures and opening, and liquid inlet means opening into the reservoir opposite the apertures.

2. A liquid dispenser comprising a body forming a reservoir, a collapsible diaphragm mounted on the body and in fluid communication with the reservoir, inlet means for introducing liquid into the reservor, outlet means in communication with the reservoir for discharging liquid there from, and spaced webbing means positioned between the outlet means and the wall of the body to provide a channel for receiving an indicia bearing medium.

3. A liquid dispenser for use with a container comprising a body forming a reservoir, a collapsible diaphragm carried by the body and in fluid communication with the reservoir, inlet means for introducing liquid into the reservoir, outlet means for discharging liquid from the reservoir, visible display means including two spaced webbing members integral with the outlet means and the body and extending therebetwecn, and means carried by the body and positioned around the inlet means for detachably mounting the dispenser on the container.

4. A dispenser comprising means defining a fluid reservoir, displaceable means for moving fluid into said reservoir, and means placing said reservoir and said displaceable means in fluid communication, said communication means including a pair of spaced plates having nonregistering openings therein.

5. A dispenser comprising means defining a fluid reservoir, displaceable means for moving fluid into said reservoir, and means defining a'tortuous passageway placing said reservoir in fluid communication with displaceable means, said passageway means including a pair of spaced plates forming a cavity and having at least one opening in each of said plates out of registration with the opening in the other of said plates to place said cavity in communication with said reservoir and said displaceable means. 1

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,081,253 Serre .May 25, 1937 2,275,051 -Maloney Mar. 3, 1942 2,275,972 Maloney Mar. 10, 1942 2,623,660 gWarren Dec. 30, 1952 2,664,226 Gobin Dec. 29, 1953 2,690,278 Bocheller Sept. 28, 1954 

